On 05. September, Sunlabob signed a memorandum of understanding with Helvetas Laos, the Swiss Association for International Cooperation, and the provincial government of Xieng Khuang to provide access to electricity to develop small businesses in Phaxay district. Sunlabob will provide village electricity grids to five village districts, supplying 24 hour renewable energy to over 80 households per village. Project staff will advise local residents on how to use the new power supply to increase handicraft production for sale in local markets. The pilot phase will last for two years and the project is expected to be extended into further phases. The project will provide the villages with technical expertise, capacity building and financial assistance for building dams, channels, power grids and generator houses, as well as backing small business development and product marketing. The project will also be implemented in Huaphan province.
This pilot project is the newest innovative model of Private-Public Partnerships in rural electrification in off grid areas. With the success of this project Sunlabob would like to attract more public groups as well as private investors, as the only way to be successful is through mutual leverage of funding.